This adventure is my first time in Colombia and my first experience living in such a small, rural town. Before arriving, I didn’t exactly know what to expect in terms of the reality that everyday people faced, a reality to which I would soon have to adapt. Would I have electricity? How often would I have access to clean water? Was it even safe? In other words, what were the needs of the community, and how would I fit into the social fabric with my skills?
When I first arrived in my community in Colombia, I was sent on a mission to dip deep into how English connected to local needs and interests. Over three months, I had the sole purpose of learning about Sasaima and interviewing its residents, from students to local government officials. I discovered that the need for better English resources went beyond the surface-level assumption that a second language would give people better job opportunities or help them travel. In fact, interest in English was complex and brought together an unlikely mix of people from different ages, professions and backgrounds.
